There were some paper, collage pictures and bling left over from the St. Patrick's Day cards I did over the weekend, so I added some of my own paper and bling, and created these cute cards:

(The odd background "grid" lighting and shadows is due to my workshop blinds being open and allowing the sunshine in.)

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

St. Patrick's Day is almost upon us.  Here are my creations from this past weekend:

And lastly, for my husband....

These cards were all created using materials from St. Patrick's Card Kit by TJ Designs.  I did not follow all their instructions precisely, but added a little bit of my own touch instead.  I picked up the kit several years ago as I just loved their papers and bling. Her items are expensive, but they are so worth it.  I've created some gorgeous cards using her rubber stamps, collage packs and card kits!

I do not mind picking up and using card kits, especially if they contain papers one wouldn't be able to get anywhere else.  Besides, you never know what you will learn in doing these kits.  I always learn something!

Worked on some more 3-D (layered) Foil Greeting Cards:

3-D Foil Pansies with Purple Border (6 layers)

Base is Glorious Glitter pack handmade papers (memory star). Sheer purple ribbon, 3 Pastel buttons (forever in time) and 1 Ice Green Pearl (kaiser scrapbook) complete the card.  I will put this on my sell website.

3-D Pansies with Blue Border foil greeting card with 6 layers. Base Kraft Paper Stack (tim holtz) with white doily matt.  Blue Lace ribbon and 3 Bliss Pearls (kaiser scrapbook) complete the card.

3-D Lilies & Hydrangeas foil greeting card has 5 layers.  We had received some round cardstock for Christmas from our Belgian friends, so thought this was a great card to try them out.  I think the card stock color brings out the hydrangea!  Cardstock Shimmer Maroon (made by me of The Netherlands), doily brushed with Squeezed Lemonade distressed ink (tim holtz) and 3 Rhinestones (hero arts).

3-D Lily Frame foil greeting card has 5 layers. Base from The Luxury Stack (dcwv), with black matt.  Blue ribbon, and Green and Blue Crystals (mark richards) complete the card.  Sentiment dazzle. This will go into our craft show stock (email me if you want to buy it).

Something a little different:  3-D Art Nouveau Glitter Floral on a 6 X 4¼ inch Green note card; the flower has 5 layers.  Comes with matching envelope.  Happy Birthday dazzle completes this simple design.

3-D Art Nouveau Pink Floral card with 5 layers on The Cafe Mediterranean card stock (dcwv) with blue matt.  Happy Birthday dazzle.

My husband has been sick with the flu since mid-January.  He was starting to recover, then "got stuck."  I dragged him back to the doctor who says he now has pneumonia.  I've canceled two shows thus far; hopefully, he will be ready for our April shows.  I think March is a month off for us, so maybe I can get some stock built up and get other things done (like homemade cookies...).

With our second month into a new year, Birthdays, Wedding, Babies, etc., are all back in full force.  For February, I needed a Birthday card and a Wedding card.  I made both in 3-D, multi-layered:

This 7-layered Elk greeting card is perfect for a cousin.  Base paper is Old World Stack with matt Gauze paper stack (both dcwv). Sheer maroon Ribbon and Duck brad complete this birthday card.

(The materials for this card came from Europe, so it is one-of-a-kind.)

A good friend from our high school days recently got married. This foil 3-D Hydrangea Bouquet (hotp) is made up of 6 layers.  Base paper is White Roses (hotp), matt is bright pink Fibre stack paper (dcwv), cream padded Hearts Ribbon and pink Heart bling (yellow bicycle) make for a perfect Wedding card.

How often do you try new things with your greeting cards?  This past weekend, I decided to play with ATC's -- Artist Trading Cards.  Standard size for these is 2½ X 3½ inches.  Here is what I created:

The Peacock rubber stamp (Stampability) is a newer item. He is colored with Copics and glitter pens. ATC cardstock embossed Courtship (couture creations), edged with Vintage Photo and brushed with Peacock Feathers distressed ink (tim holtz).

This little Bird is from Backyard Basics set (stampin' up) and colored with Copics. Cardstock is embossed with Organic Flouirsh (cuttlebug), edged with Dried Marigold, and brushed with Broken China distress ink (tim holtz).  Paper Leaf (prima) to complete.

The Bee is also from the Backyard Basics set (stampin' up) and colored with Copics and glitter ink. He is 3-D with 2 layers. Cardstock embossed Organic Flourish (cuttlebug), edged with Vintage Photo, and brushed with Mowed Lawn distress ink (tim holtz).

Lastly, this cute Pansies set (sweet garland) is colored with Copics, and hand cut out.  Cardstock is embossed Swirls (stampin' up) and edged with Pickled Raspberry distressed ink (tim holtz).  1 Purple Rhinestone (kaiser scrapbook) completes this ATC.

The main idea I came away from working on these ATC's is:  Keep it Simple!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here is the card I will be giving my hubby of 25 years:

This 3-D layered Heart card came from that book of die-cuts from our Belgium friends that I talked about in January.  These are punch-outs as opposed to cut-out; less tedious and time consuming. Base paper is Sweetheart (dcwv), matt is stock yellow-green metallic paper, Love ribbon, and 3 Baby Blue bling (want2scrap). There are 9 layers on this card!  Good thing I don't have to mail it out!

My sister-in-law loves Hedgehogs, so this 3-D Hedgehog birthday card is especially for her.  Base and matt papers are La Bella Rouge stack (dcwv), Happy Birthday Pink ribbon and 4 Pearls (clover leaf of the Netherlands). The black on the base paper is raised with a little bit of glitter in it.  There are 8 layers to the Hedgehog piece.  I will be hand-delivering it when we do our annual Sewing & Stitchery Expo trek in late February.

Both cards have a touch of glitter to make them shimmer and shine. So pretty!

I finished up the last of the 3-D (3 layered) Kitten and Puppy greeting cards.  Here they are:

Kitten in Daisy Pot 3-D (3 layers) light blue greeting card (4¼ X 5½") with background papers from Blackberry Lane paper pack (wild rose studio), mottled blue matt, sheer Ivory ribbon and bow, and 3 Rhinestones (want2scrap). 

Puppy and Kitty Tulip Basket 3-D (3 layers) with background papers from Peach Blossom paper pack (wild rose studio), marbled green matt, Polka Dot ribbon and 3 Rhinestones (want2 scrap and EMP from Europe).

Kitten & Puppy on Red Plain Blanket edged in Lettuce ink (cats eyes) and on Flight of Fancy paper (wild rose studio).   Flower with Pink Rhinestone (a'muse).

Dalmation & Kitten on Blackberry Lane paper (wild rose studio), white floral ribbon and 3 green Pearls (cloverleaf of The Netherlands).

Lab pup & Tabby kitten with Butterfly on Butterfly Glade paper (wild rose studio) and Metallic Moss Green matt.  Purple Lace Ribbon (the paper studio) and 3 Pearls (cloverleaf of The Netherlands) complete the card.

Pup & Kitten in Pail on Blue Bell paper (wild rose studio), light Purple cardstock matt and Purple Rhinestones (want2scrap).

For all you sports fans out there -- 

University of Washington State Huskies on Huskies paper (sports solution) with Gold ribbon (art talent The Netherlands) and 3 Pearls (cloverleaf of The Netherlands).

Huskies again, but on horizontal card with same materials, except Purple ribbon.

Washington State University Cougars on Cougars paper (sports solution), green fibre matt (dcwv), Maroon coral ribbon and 2 Cougs stickers (sports solutions).

Seattle Seahawks with Seattle Skyline!  A favorite design amongst customers.  Background paper from Old World Stack (dcwv) with 1½" glitter green Starburst die-cut. 3 Pearls from cloverleaf of The Netherlands).  Happy Thoughts sentiment dazzle -- perfect Birthday card for the Seahawks fan in your life!

Lastly, we cannot forget the Seattle Mariners for the Baseball fans!  Base paper from Cardstock (mementa) with stock blue cardstock matt, stock grey or sheer blue ribbons, and Mariners patch (ek success).  Baseball, bat, tickets and helmet stickers (ek success) complete the cards.

With the exception of the Mariners card with the grey ribbon, all the other sports cards are for sell on my website.

If you are a card maker and use regular card racks at craft shows, you may very well have the card rack where the slots are two different sizes.  I have three different sizes on mine.  I've been struggling for years trying to deal with the small part of the rack.  Well, I finally decided to just bite the bullet and start doing a smaller card.  This is why I started the more affordable Vintage greeting cards last summer.  But the 4¼ X 5½ inch card size I was using just wasn't cutting it -- it was still simply too big.  Over the holidays, my husband and I finally made a trip up to the Craft Mart in Marysville, Washington.  They had 3½ X 5 inch card stock.  I picked up one packet of 10 to see how it would work.  What do you think?

This Cuddled Kitty is on Letters from Paris paper pack (wild rose studio).  A green Ribbon and 2 pink Pearls (cloverleaf The Netherlands) complete this simple, cute card.

Base and matt papers for this Basket of Kitties is Peach Blossom (wild rose studio).  Green glitter Tape ribbon (american crafts) complete the card.

These two are of the small size I just purchased.

In comparison, this one is size 5½ X 4¼ inches:

Who doesn't love these Kitties?  They are edged with Mowed Lawn ink (tim holtz) on Garden Party papers (marianne design).  The green Ribbon (american crafts) and 2 green Rhinestones (kaiser scrapbook) complete the card.

There really isn't too much difference in the cards, but it depends on the size picture I use that makes the card.  In contrast, a larger piece had to go on my regular 5 X 6½ inch card stock:

Base and matt papers from A Ladies' Diary (graphic 45), Meow ribbon and 3 dark pink bling (a'muse).  Just as cute as the smaller ones.

Now the big question is -- do I go with the smallest card stock size, or do I keep both smaller size cards and use as appropriate?  Decisions, decisions.

These are now posted on our website for sale.

Have a great weekend everyone!

I just love doing 3-D, layered greeting cards!  They are so much fun!  Of course, they are more fun when the pieces are punch-out, but even if I have to hand cut them out (which takes much longer), the cards are simply stunning!

This is a new set of 3-D greeting cards, all with 3 layers.  This kitten and puppy are sitting on Belle paper stack (wild rose studio) with white braided ribbon.

These "kids" are enjoying their toy on Stationer's Desk (prima) with a blue ribbon and 3 different red brads (medium red, dark red and glitter red).

These sweeties are enjoying their roses on Annabelle's Meadow paper pack (wild rose studio), with a sheer green ribbon and 3 pearls (kaiser scrapbook).

Lastly, these little guys are cuddling on Blue Bell paper pack (wild rose studio), purple coral ribbon and 3 Pearls (clover leaf of the Netherlands).

All of these cards are available for sale on our new selling website.  Have some more of these cuties to finish up before I post, so stay tuned....